Spurs up the fight to keep Bale after using Madrid target to unveil new home kit

VIDEO:Scroll down to watch Bale, Dawson, Defoe and Friedel unveil new kit

Gareth Bale delivered the sort of clue Tottenham supporters have been searching for when he appeared with the familiar cockerel crest on his chest at the new shirt launch.

Bale was one of four players selected to model the new Under Armour kit in London on Monday after the first pre-season training session.

Jermain Defoe, Michael Dawson and Brad Friedel were also on parade for Spurs and all agreed that keeping Bale from the clutches of wealthy European clubs like Real Madrid and PSG was vital to their hopes of reaching the Champions League.

It seemed even more significant on a day
when Barcelona confirmed they struck a deal to sell Spain's all-time
leading scorer David Villa to Atletico Madrid for fee thought to be
£4.4million.

Villa had been one of the top summer targets for manager Andre
Villas-Boas, who felt his attacking unit was short of options last
season when Tottenham dropped points late in the campaign and slipped
out of the top four.

Brazilian midfielder Paulinho has been recruited for £17million but
Villas-Boas is unlikely to be impressed at losing Villa since a move for
last summer's top target Joao Moutinho seemed to be in the bag only to
collapse on the final day of the transfer window.

Moutinho has since moved from Porto to Monaco, the newly-rich French team who also covet AVB as their next manager.

Nod to the past: Tottenham will wear HP on their shirt for the first time since 1999

Bale was not allowed to speak to the national newspapers but did conduct
television and magazine interviews to be broadcast closer to the start
of the season.

He is not anxious to leave even if he has yet to sign the improved
contract Spurs are willing to offer him and his team-mates seem to be
under the impression he will be with them for the season ahead.

'Yeah, it's important,' said Defoe. 'This year, we want a great season
and we to get into the Champions League and to do that you've got to
keep your best players.

'What Gareth did here last year was unbelievable. The amount of goals he
scored, at times playing out of position up top off the forward and
show the composure he did in certain games when he was one-on-one with
the keeper and produced some unbelievable finishes. He's a special
player. You want to keep your top players.'

Stay another year? Gareth Bale helped unveil the new Tottenham kit

Club captain Dawson added: 'He's here to do well, like all of us. Like
the manager, like the staff at the football club, we're striving to be
successful for this club.

'I remember him coming in as a 17-year-old. He's not changed, he's a top
guy, he's got a great family around him. He's one of the boys, the lads
love having him around. It hasn't always been easy since he signed, he
was out of the team like myself but the boy is world class.

'Someone as good as him you certainly want to keep him. He's
world-class. I'm very lucky to play with him. Last year, some of the
goals he scored to help win us football matches were unbelievable.'

Spring in his step: Bale back in action with Tottenham at the Enfield Training Centre on Monday morning

Back in action: AVB took charge of a training session on Monday after also being linked away from the club

Preparations: Gareth bale will play an integral role in Tottenahm's Champions League push

Playing away: Bright blue has been a traditional colour for Tottenham away kits

Under Armour is the Official Technical Partner of Tottenham Hotspur. For more information and to pre-order the new 2013/2014 home and away kits, please visit www.tottenhamhotspur.com